The present invention relates to optical loupes utilized in surgical and other procedures for providing magnified viewing and illumination of fields of interest to a surgeon or other user. Such systems typically include first and second loupes which permit binocular viewing with magnification of a region of interest. Illumination has been Provided in the past by a separate illumination source, typically located and supported in the forehead region of the surgeon
More recently, and as represented in co-pending U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/327,644, filed March 23, 1989 now abandoned, the illumination function is combined into the viewing loupe in order to avoid the shadow cast in the field of view by a light source located away from the viewing axis. In such combined optics it is important to prevent the high intensity illumination, passing through the loupe from the illumination source, from creating a flare effect, typically from a brightness at the interface of the loupe beam splitting optics.
At the same time, because of the attenuation in loupe beam splitter optics, some illumination is lost both in the path of illumination from the source and in the path of viewing by the operator of the field of view. It is important that the optics minimize attenuation and maximize the perceived illumination of the field of view while avoiding flare effects.
It is additionally desirable to provide a video image of the user's field of view to provide offsite display and control of that field of view without interfering with the user's procedures or views.